Decade's Worst Individual Pitching Performances Preview

The Phillies who made Tim’s Top 100 list will always be remembered for their great play. However, there are many Phillies that will always be remembered for the opposite.

As the Top 100 Phillies countdown is getting into the best of the best, on Tuesday, I will be starting a countdown of my own.

What is it?

I’m going to count down the 15 worst individual pitching performances since the year 2000. Each posts will focus on an awful season for one pitcher. It will also feature where they are now.

Why focus on the worst?

It wouldn’t be Philadelphian-like without looking at the negatives, would it? There is nothing like getting ready for the season than to bring back bad memories, especially after the Phillies have won the World Series.

Why since 2000? Why not all-time?

All-time would take forever to research. The Phillies have had many bad pitchers in their long history. Although it seems like yesterday, 2000 was 9 years ago. Those years of Phillies baseball remain fresh in many memories, so the names will not sound like complete strangers.

Why 15?

I originally planned on 10, however, there were a few players that I couldn’t decide on for the 10th spot. Therefore, I extended the list to 15.

How did you determine who is the worst?

I based it on stats such as innings, earned run average, walks and hits per innings pitched, opponents batting averages, etc. I also based it on the players I remembering being awful; the ones that made me cringe when I heard their names.

How about a preview of who to look out for?

You’ll have to check in everyday, but here are some borderline pitchers that just missed the cut, and the season they stunk. The not-so-honorable mentions are:

Mike Williams in 2003, Brian Powell in 2004, and Brian Sanches in 2006.

The posts will be abbreviated “DWIPP” for Decade’s Worst Individual Pitching Performances. Be sure to check in everyday at 10:00 AM to see what pitchers make the list.

I don’t know, there appears to be too much of a high standard involved in the debate of pitchers so memorably awful.

I just think of it as those “Why the hell are you throwing him out on the mound again!?” pitchers. And I just remember throwing stuff at the TV for those Paul Abbott starts. So I just have awful memories of him pitching.

Although he’s done great thus far and off the record a bit….I do hope as a Mets fan that Cole hamels is OK and turns out to be OK…..I want to see my Amazins beat you’se guys with your best that you’se have to offer.

How bout our opening day starter at the vet, Joe Roa? He was pretty rotten.

And kudos for mentioning paul abbot and turk wendell. the thing that killed me about him is that he sucked once WE GOT HIM! Didn’t he give up a walkoff hit the day after we got him against the Mets in NY?

Tim Worrell’s two-thirds or so of a season have to be on the list. I know the guy had some personal problems (I think he went into rehab during the year), but the season before he had something like 30 saves for a West-coast team. In my office, he became known as Tim “Worrell-around-and-watch-the-homerun-leave-the-park.”

Turk Wendell definitely deserves to be on there. I’ve never seen a fastball sizzle down the middle so consistently predictably.

Eaton should have two top-five finishes, including the undisputed No. 1 spot.

Carlton Loewer was truly awful (6.09 and 5.12 ERAs) but he pitched in ’98 and ’99 and is therefore unavailable for the list. He was traded with Adam Eaton for useless Andy Ashby. What a blockbuster that was.

how bout best hitting performances by pitchers… myers’ playoffs would definitely be up there b/c of his bat… and wat about robert person’s 3-HR day vs. the expos… blanton’s HR in the WS?? That would be a fun read